a tough decision 苦渋の決断

↑Japanese Rowan (ナナカマド)

↑↓Dollar Plant (金のなる木)

Now there is a little snow on the ground.

The game player my son wants for Christmas costs about 20,000 yen.I didn't want to spend such expensive money for it. He always spends money like water. He usually spends monthly allowance at once when he gets, so, he never saves money.

My husband wanted to give my son such an expensive game player for Christmas. He always says to me that don't bind my son firmly. However, when he was going to buy one, I stopped him. We discussed for a while. I bet no other things besides the game player would please him, so, I didn't want to waste money. My opinion was that to give money (5,000 yen) for Christmas. He will get Otoshidama (money as New Year's gift) soon, and his birthday will come soon, too. So, if he saves those money, he will able to get the game player before long. My husband agreed with me reluctantly.

This morning, he wouldn't get out of his bed. He had already found the envelope with 5,000 yen instead of a game player as a Christmas gift on his desk early in the morning. When I went to his bed after a while, he was crying in his bed. He said that a thing was better than money. I soothed him that he should save it, and he would get one soon because he would get extra money for Otoshidama.

In the evening, my son received some sweets for Christmas and early Otoshidama from my parents. He is happy now. He expects to get another Otoshidama from my mother-in-law in a week.

Merry Christmas !

P.S. You can see the corrections of this article on this comment site.

English Corrections

Original Article:

Now there is a little snow on the ground.

The game player my son wants for Christmas costs about 20,000 yen.
I didn't want to spend such expensive money for it. He always spends money like water. He usually spends monthly allowance at once when he gets, so, he never saves money.

My husband wanted to give my son such an expensive game player for Christmas. He always says to me that don't bind my son firmly. However, when he was going to buy one, I stopped him. We discussed for a while. I bet no other things besides the game player would please him, so, I didn't want to waste money. My opinion was that to give money (5,000 yen) for Christmas. He will get Otoshidama (money as New Year's gift) soon, and his birthday will come soon, too. So, if he saves those money, he will able to get the game player before long.
My husband agreed with me reluctantly.

This morning, he wouldn't get out of his bed. He had already found the envelope with 5,000 yen instead of a game player as a Christmas gift on his desk early in the morning. When I went to his bed after a while, he was crying in his bed. He said that a thing was better than money.
I soothed him that he should save it, and he would get one soon because he would get extra money for Otoshidama.

In the evening, my son received some sweets for Christmas and early Otoshidama from my parents. He is happy now. He expects to get another Otoshidama from my mother-in-law in a week.

Merry Christmas !

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Recommended Corrections:

Now there is a little snow on the ground.

The game player my son wants for Christmas costs about 20,000 yen.
I didn't want to spend so much money on a Christmas gift. My son always spends money as if it were no more valuable than water. He usually spends his monthly allowance as soon as he gets it, so, he never has any money saved.

My husband wanted to give my son an expensive game player for Christmas. He always tells me to not bind my son too firmly with the ropes of discipline, for fear that he would just rebel. However, when he was going to buy one, I stopped him. We discussed it for a while. I knew nothing else but the game player would have pleased him, so, I didn't want to waste money. However, in order to encourage my son to save, my opinion was to give our son money (5,000 yen) for Christmas. I said that he would get Otoshidama (money as New Year's gift) soon, and that his birthday would come soon, too. I then said that if he saved his money, he would be able to get the game player before long.
My husband reluctantly agreed with me.

This morning, my son wouldn't get out of his bed. He had already found the envelope with 5,000 yen on his desk early in the morning as a Christmas gift, instead of a game player. When I went to him after a while, he was crying in his bed. He said that a gift was better than money.
I soothed him by telling him that he should save it, and he could buy a game player soon because he would get extra money for Otoshidama.

In the evening, my son received some sweets for Christmas and an early Otoshidama envelope from my parents. He is happy now. He expects to get another Otoshidama envelope from my mother-in-law in a week.

Re: English Corrections

Hello, Shiroi Tora.

Thank you very much for the corrections as always.

As for 'He always tells me to not bind my son...', you have always corrected 'to not (verb)'.
However, Japanese public school text books say that 'not to (verb)'.
For example, I told him not to accept the offer.
So, isn't it 'He always tells me not to bind my son...'?

Answer to Sakae's question

Sakae's Question:

As for 'He always tells me to not bind my son...', you have always corrected 'to not (verb)'.
However, Japanese public school text books say that 'not to (verb)'.
For example, I told him not to accept the offer.
So, isn't it 'He always tells me not to bind my son...'?

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My Reply:

They are often used synonymously.
I know they sound like the same thing, but they are not.

You are easily understood either way...except, one may lead to ambiguity. If it is spoken and if the inflection or timing is slightly off, it can mean one way or another. If it is written, it also may be ambiguous.

'He told me not to'... can be merely a negation of having said a particular statement, with the natural implication of a follow up statement. Or, it could mean a negation of a particular act in a certain manner, but one which may be modified to make it okay.

Example:

1) [He told me not] to do this, but to do that.

Translates to ['He hadn't told me' ] to do this, but to do that.

2) He told me not to eat it, but to consume it slowly so its flavor could be savored.

If it were said as in your example, 'I told him not to accept the offer'., it many a mind, there would be an expectation of a follow up statement, and so, a follow up question would be necessary to clear up any ambiguity. In my mind, I would immediately be thinking that a person would then say, ...'but to hold out for a better one.' or ...'but to proffer a counter.'

'He told me to not...' is a statement to negate a particular action without any ambiguity.